If you’ve been reading my blog the past few months, you know that I’ve been struggling to get my act in gear since starting my new job. You’re probably sick of reading about it, and I was getting sick of writing about it, too, but I try to write about the struggles in maintaining my weight and healthy habits as well as when it all comes together.
Well, it feels like it’s all coming back together, again, and thank god.
It turns out that all I needed was some new goals–and not goals that I arbitrarily picked and tried to convince myself that I wanted, but goals I wanted so badly I’d do anything in my power to achieve them.
Right now, my big goals are to be happier with how I look in a bathing suit by the end of the month and to not die at Reach the Beach. While I’m incredibly excited, I’m also incredibly nervous. Strangely enough, in my long and illustrious three-year history of running, I’ve never run three different legs adding up to almost 20 miles over the course of 24 hours. While sleeping in a van.
And as far as looking good in a bathing suit, well, I’ve just been kind of unhappy with how mushy I feel my core has gotten.
So with those two goals, over the past few weeks, I’ve found myself stepping my game back up without it feeling as difficult as it had been even a month ago.
Skipping (some) happy hours and wine before Junior League meetings. Skipping the glass of wine at home after work. I’m the first to admit I love unwinding with a glass of wine or a beer, but it’s not doing any favors for my waistline.
Cooking more for myself because even seemingly healthy food out has sneakily unhealthy ingredients.
Tonight’s dinner: Brussels sprouts with a little maple syrup and a turkey burger. (The Brussels sprouts were made from a bag of frozen Brussels sprouts and booked in a pan with some water before putting the syrup in; nowhere near as good as roasted ones.)
Last night’s: a makeshift egg and spinach wrap, but with mozzarella instead of feta. Meh. Not bad, but Starbucks still does it better.
I’ve also realized that I’m terrible at motivating myself for strength training on my own unless there’s a consequence more than flabby abs, so I signed up for Jaz’s boot camp for the month of May. It’s close to me, I love Jaz and her energy, and I know that it will help me become a stronger runner as well as tone up.
I did her Tabata class this morning, which included lots of burpees, running up and down the stairs, one-legged push-ups and plyo jumps, and then chased it with a 4-mile run that I was supposed to do yesterday but was too tired to do last night, so I doubled up this morning. It’s a good thing it was supposed to be an easy run, because my pace was certainly much slower than usual, because my legs were shot.
I’ve already lost two pounds, and Jaz told me this morning I looked like I’d lost weight, too since she last saw me in January. (I definitely can’t see a difference myself, but there are worse compliments to start my day with.)
Time to get to sleep so I can continue this trend…
What are the goals you want so badly you can taste right now?
Sub 2 half!
I’ve definitely gotten bad at eating healthy! It’s just so easy to pick something up or have something delivered…but I know I definitely feel a lot better after I make something healthy 🙂 good luck with your goals!
Barring any further injuries after a race this Sunday, I’m starting to train for my first full marathon! It’s so scary and exciting all at the same time.
Doesn’t it feel great to be back on track? I was slipping all winter, as well, but finally feel like I have a handle on things again. Keep it up!
I think goals have to be ever-evolving to be attainable. Good for you for recognizing what you want and a way to make it happen.
My biggest “goal I want so bad I can taste it” right now is running my first half marathon! It’s in July, and I did an 8-miler last weekend, my longest distance yet, so I’m feeling great about it so far!
I also have a wedding to attend in June and I just bought a killer dress that I love, but it’s a teeny bit too tight… so I’m going to use that as motivation to keep up with my weight-training schedule and eat healthy (most of the time)!
Good luck with your goals… sounds like you’re doing great!
I think Jaz’s class is just what you need! Get it, Theodora!
this is so inspiring! I love that you figured out what you wanted and now you can focus and really go after it. I’m in the process of figuring out some goals – career and fitness related – but haven’t made it a priority. this was a good reminder to me to kick things into gear!
my goals:
lose 15 pounds
run a PR this year in marathon.
I’m also wanting to be stronger and more toned for bathing suit season. And I am definitely realizing that my eating is generally clean, so the extra calories from all of those cocktail hours and glasses of bubbly are probably the extra weight culprit. I am trying to cut back on blogger events a little this month.
My goal is just to be able to run again period. I’m going to PT for my IT Band and hope I can get back soon to doing what I love!
Other goals of mine are to go to some classes and try different types of crosstraining!
@Megan @ Run Like a Grl: Ooh, hope your ITB feels better soon!
I love your goals – and I’m with you on the core stuff. Back when I did hot yoga for 5 hours a week I had insane abs. I miss them!
My big goal right now is to survive my first Olympic triathlon. I want to use this training to become a stronger runner and athlete, and hopefully my core will follow suit.
I want my PR for Brooklyn Half… I guess we’ll see. 🙂
Dude, I tried making maple brussels sprouts with frozen ones a week or so ago too, and it was awful. You KNOW how much I love my b-sprouts, but it was just disgusting. They were like, half steamed, all runny, still had the stems on and… blech. ROASTING FOREVER!!
@Gretchen @ Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen!: ALSO, THEY’RE STINKY.
Glad you are feeling back on track. I know the feeling of “off.” I’m really unhappy with my tummy right now but am struggling with night eating. Like last night, after dinner I ate an entire sleeve of saltines. Not terrible but it adds up! Anyway, here’s to reaching our goals and to me, not buying anymore crackers 🙂
I have been a little off track lately, but I got a new plan to get my run time down (adding speed work- ah!) so I’ve been getting back on it thankfully 🙂 I can’t wait to get my 5k time down! glad for you feeling better too!
I am in the process of re-evaluating my goals as well! Beach season has struck Charleston, but i am putting it off for a bit! Great job so far! Keep that motivation up!
I want to have ABS! I have way too many things going on right now and I’m having a really hard time admitting that not everything can be a balls to the wall priority. With work, a huge work-related exam, and a bf recovering from a really bad skiing accident, my abs just have to take a back seat. It’s a hard pill to swallow because I’m going to Italy in June and want to look perfect. I keep telling myself I can focus on them soon enough, and then I know just what to do to achieve my goal!
Great RTB goal! Mine is the same!
I try to challenge my fear of new things: It almost always brings me something good..